A different novel from Ally Condie, The Only Girl In Town is a gripping physiological mystery which delves into the mental head space of main character July as she finds herself alone in her home town, and in the depths of a mystery only she can solve.
From the blurb;
'What would you do if everyone you love disappeared? What if it was your fault?
'For July Fielding, nothing has been the same since that summer before senior year.
'Once, she had Alex, her loyal best friend, the one who always had her back. She had Sydney, who pushed her during every cross-country run, and who sometimes seemed to know July better than she knew herself. And she had Sam. Sam, who told her she was everything and left her breathless with his touch.
'Now July is alone. Every single person in her small town of Lithia has disappeared. No family. No Alex or Sydney. No Sam. July's only chance at unravelling the mystery of their disappearance is a series of objects, each a reminder of the people she loved most. And a mysterious messages: GET TH3M BACK. '
Told in Now and Once this story bounces back and forth between July's lonely present and the past events which led her to this moment. We quickly realise she isn't quite the trustworthy narrator she first seemed as we get greater and greater glimpses into her past and slowly we begin to piece together the life July lived before she was stuck alone in the world.
Unable to escape the boarders of her home town July probes the quite and empty streets she finds herself on, desperate for answers, while simultaneously avoiding looking at herself.
A mystery thrill ride Condie keeps us enraptured as she leads us into the heart of this tale and begins to unpack the loss and pain July has suffered.
A coming of age tale The Only Girl In Town explores the teenage experience of growing apart from childhood friends and the momentary loss of self as the world shifts around them. Focusing in on ideas of depression and anxiety Condie paints a picture of deep sorrow through the lens of July Fielding that will ring true for many readers.
Keeping readers captivated with it's who-done-it thrill aspect The Only Girl In Town is a clever exploration of personal loss and hardship.
We give The Only Girl In Town Three Stars
ISBN - 978-0-593-32456 Cover Price - $12.99 USA
First published in the United States of America by Dutton Books 2023
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